Please don’t EVER throw out bread crusts or stale bread! Look at these amazing Cinnamon Sugar Bread Crust Treats you can make with them – and they only take 10 minutes to make! Find me a kid that can resist these…..
Did you have to look twice to make sure they really are bread crusts? Yes, they are!
A couple of weeks ago, I shared my savoury solution to getting through a ridiculously large bag of bread crusts that were stockpiled in my freezer – Parmesan and Thyme Bread Crust Treats. Today I’m sharing the sweet version.
“They taste like cinnamon doughnuts, only crunchy and a whole lot healthier and faster to make!”
There’s a looong list for why these Cinnamon Sugar Bread Crust Treats are so great. I could write an essay on it – but you aren’t interested in reading an essay! So here are the high points:

1. Thrifty – use up leftover bread crusts or any other stale bread you have lying around.
2. Tastes like cinnamon doughnuts, only crunchy!
3. A whole lot healthier than cinnamon doughnuts.
4. A whole lot faster to make than cinnamon doughnuts.
5. They’re ready in 10 minutes.
6. Little kids probably won’t even know they’re bread crusts.
7. Big kids might know but they won’t care.
8. They last for days, stashed in an airtight container.
These Cinnamon Sugar Bread Crust Treats are great to pop into school lunch boxes (or work lunch boxes!) in little ziplock bags. Or pour them into a bowl and snack on them like this Lightly Sweet ‘n Salty Popcorn for movie nights in. – Nagi x
Hungry for more? Subscribe to my newsletter and follow along on Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram for all of the latest updates.

Cinnamon Sugar Bread Crust Treats
Ingredients
- 6 cups bread crusts (enough to spread out over 2 baking trays), preferably stale
- 60 g / 2 oz / 4 tbsp butter , melted
- 5 tbsp sugar (separate 1 tbsp)
- 1 tsp cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 180C/350F.
- Cut crusts into 3cm/1.5" pieces.
- Place bread crusts in a large bowl. Drizzle over butter, tossing the bread crusts as you go (with your other hand) to evenly distribute as best as possible.
- Sprinkle over 4 tbsp of sugar and cinnamon, and toss through.
- Spread out over 2 baking trays.
- Bake for 5 to 8 minutes until golden brown and crunchy (check the ones in the middle of the tray). The tray on the top shelf will be ready first. The bottom tray will take a couple of minutes longer.
- While hot, sprinkle over the remaining 1 tbsp of sugar (1/2 tbsp over each tray). This is mainly for appearance purpose.
Recipe Notes:

Nutrition Information:
I just finished watching “The Makanai: Cooking for the Maiko House” on Netflix which takes place in Kyoto. The Makanai made these as a little treat for the Maikos. I was intrigued and now I come across this recipe! Maybe it is a sign I should try it!
Nagi, did your mom make these for you?
I made these since I now have a HUGE bag of crusts from thanksgiving stuffing prep. They’re great! Been munching on them all day…. I was also thinking tossing some with garlic butter with a cheese sprinkle just out of the oven….
I love this recipe it’s so good and tasty and is great if you don’t wanna waste your bread I was gonna make uncrustables but I didn’t want to waste bread perfect
I love this recipe it’s so good and tasty and is great if you don’t wanna waste your bread
Can you make these with bread crusts straight from the freezer or do you thaw first?
I think it’s time to share this recipe on your FB page Nagi! I often keep crusts in the freezer to make breadcrumbs for savoury dishes, but this one is gold for crusts with a twist😃
I used to make these . Cut bread into lengths spread with butter,marmite or peanut butter. Oven baked till light brown. My kids loved these and so did our dog.
Absolutely wonderful, fantastic way to use up waste bread crusts. Xxx
I think 60 g of butter is closer to 4 T, not 2.
4 tbsp! Thank you! I can’t believe you’re the first person ever to pick that up 🙂 N x
Haha. Me too. I combed the comments because I was sure someone must have. Scale nerds unite!
Loved this recipe! But unfortunately I cant use my baking oven..is there any other way other than baking to make this? And also how long can I store plain bread crusts?
We enjoyed this! I used my microwave to dry out the crusts before adding the melted butter, and then to bake them. Do it in short bursts, and put a paper towel over the top to prevent splatter. Takes about 5 minutes.
Thanks for the suggestion Jane!
How long did you microwaved the bread crusts in order for them to dry?
I tried this recipe with my microwave (oven setting), but after 8 mins they’re still not crispy